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New Development

Greenwich Builds low carbon homes on Robert Street

Greenwich Builds low carbon homes on Robert Street

An additional 30,000 homes are expected in the borough by 2030. This has the potential to add significant new carbon emissions if the strictest emissions standards are not applied.   

Reducing emissions from new buildings is a cost-effective opportunity for us as a council. This is because any new builds that is not built to a zero-carbon standard require more costly retrofitted measures. 

Our actions 

Set by the Mayor of London, The Council must enforce the London Plan sustainable development criteria to major developments across the borough.  However, RBG has the power to set planning policy and requirements at a local level to reflect the borough’s unique profile. 

 By setting such requirements we aspire to deliver net zero developments across the borough. We will also encourage smaller developments to follow the same criteria. At a minimum, we aim for at least 10% of the borough’s heat demand to be provided by heat networks.  

Progress so far 

Operational 

  • Through London Planning Policies we have raised the standard of new builds. A new major development in the borough achieved a reduction of 46% on average in comparison to building regulation compliant buildings in the financial year 2019/20 

  • The future Greenwich local planning policy work will seek to raise the standards further through an updated supplementary planning document and reviewing the options for the next local plan 

  • Greenwich Builds Phase I on course to deliver over 750 low/zero carbon homes 

  • Greenwich Builds Phase II aspires to deliver an estimated 1000 low/zero carbon homes 

Borough 

  • We have improved the emissions data capture through our planning processes.  

  • The total recorded operational carbon prevented due to local planning policy criteria is 293 ktco2e over the developments’ 30-year lifespan (based on completed developments) 

Read the full Action Plan for New Development for more details of the specific actions we’re taking.